Apparatus for treating acid phosphate



' March 9,1926;

' 1,576,022 E. H. ARMSTRONG APPARATUS FORTREATING ACID PHOSPHATEOriginal Filed g s a, 1921 2 Sheeta$hoot 1 ttozmq March 9 1926.

E. H. ARMSTRONG APPARATUS FOR TREATING ACID PHOSPHATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2original Filed August 1921 i. /7. flrwsfrony Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

apparatus herein claimed, is so to treat ma-i of relatively UNITEDSTATES ,576,02 v PATENT OFFICE.

ELI n. ARMSTRONG, or sava man, GEORGIA.

arrana'rus' FOR ummit r iosrnaiiia Original application filed August 6,

To all 'whom it mag/concern; 1

Be it known that I, ELI H. ARMs'rnone, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county ofChatham and State of Geor 'a, have invented certain new and mprovementsin 'Apparatus for lowing 1s a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates primarily to appa ratusfor treating acidphosphate and similar or analogous materials.

The present case is a true dlVlSlOIl of an application'filed by me onAugust 6, 1921,

Serial No. 490,357, and patented December 19, 1922, No. 1,439,054," andwherein is disclosed and claimed a novel method of treating .acidphosphate, and in connection with which method the apparatus hereindisclosed may be utilized.

The object of that method, as well as the terials, such as apho'sphaticmass, that the natural.moisture-content, the insoluble plio sphoricacid, and the. free phosphoric acid will be materially reducedso that,as a'co nsequence, the valuable phosphoric acid will be appreciablyincreased.

A further ob'ect of the invention, both of stored or shipped withoutappreciable chemical change in its condition.

A subsidiary object of the invention is'ito subject the phosphatic massto the action of heated air and, as a subsequent ste but art of the same0 eration, to the action 0 air iiferent temperature, preferably unheatedor cold air. v

' The invention'has other objects and advantages which will'be apparentfrom the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, '1 have shown one embodiment of apparatusfor practicingthe aforementioned method; but

these drawings are merely illustrative, are so intended bygthisdisclosure, and are obvious- 1y susce tible of a wide ran e ofmodification an variation without eparting from v the spirit of theinvention or'sacrificing any of the salient features-or underlyingprinciplea thereof.

.stituting grade directing a 1: 21, Serial ms. '49o,357. madmanapplication filed mam 2,1922, Serial No. 604,465. v '1 c v c In thesedrawings-if Figure 1 is a view in sectional elevation, I

moreor less diagrammati of one form of apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention; .1 a Y Fig. 2 is aview'in to lan thereofand Figs! 3 and are] p I anism for treating the material ntroduced in'tothe apparatus and preparatory to passing therethrough, 1

Referring to these vdrawings,"the referencecharacter A designates agroup of units con and designed for carrying outthe first step of theaforeinentioned'method; B designates another group of units and designedfor .carry ng out the second step of the method; but it istobeunderstood'tha't the operation, in practicing the method andin'utilizing this apparatus, is a relatively. continuous one in asmuchas there is no substantial interrup tion i'n the'treatment of thematerial'when passing from thegunits of Group A-to those OfGIOllP BQ i yConstituting an instrumentality in Group A is ah opper 1 associatedwitha cutting or. shaving machine 2, conveniently juxtaposed I -to the topof one of a seri'es'of vertically the method an of the disclosedapparatus, v A

' inafter described in detail.

disposed conduits, towers, or columns'here- The cutting machinepreferably comprises jinetal disks 3 and 4 secured to a centrallydisposed shaft- 5. Attached to these disks 3 and 4 are knives 6 forcutting o -shaving the phosphatic mass as the same passes through themachine, so that it willbe reduced todimensions to pass freely I Kseries. r

After the masshas thus been sufficiently reduced, it passes throughas'eries of mass: 7 or concentrating members 7,'ea ch of whicplreferably and as shown, is cone.- or funnel s aped, the up er' orentrance end of which is secured with tower 8. Disposed beneath themembers .7 is a series of revolving. mass-spreading members,centrifugals, or revolvin disks 9, each Of WhIOh' is preferably curve onits upper surface and is thus arc-shaped, so that mawalls of'the tower.Thesedisks are secured to a vertically disposed shaft lO rotated at one]component of the apparatus? in the conduitv ori views, respectively, invert cal sectionand n Ian-of a hopper and associated cutting mec throughthe several ,towers of the suflicient speed to develop the requiredcentrifugal force to throw the phosphatic mass outwardly as it travelsthrough the tower from one disk to those subjacent thereto.

Preferably and as shown, thesedisks are of" a diametrical dimensionsomewhat smaller than the cone-shaped member 7 mass may dropbygravityfrom tliercduced ends of the members onto thesubjacent disks at abouttheir central portion.

Preferably and as Sh wn, means are'provided for supporting andjdr'ivingthe shaft 10, such means, inthis instance, including 7 bearings 11, apinion 1 2,and' a g ar 13. It

desired.

is to be understood thatjthe; speed offrotation ofthe shaft anddiskscarriedthereby may be regulated in any well known manner, sothat thelmateria a l g da th disks willfbe effectually thrown by centr fugalaction againsteth'e side of the itower and thence bv gravity; dropped tothe subjacent cone-s aped member. By meansof the centrifugals 9, thephosphatic mass is centrifuged andthus more or less separated forefiicient action of an air treatmentpres 'ently to be described. 7

Preferably andasshown, the apparatus includes a pluralityfof towers ofthe same general construction as the "tower required number of thesemaybeut1l ze according to'the capacity required; but,in

the resent instance, only six are showmf num ered 8, *8", 8",8", 8 and8', and; each of whichiis rovided with a setorvseries of the cones apedmembersandcentrifu gals, it being understood that the number of towersmay be increased or, d1m1n 1sl1ed, as

while passing through the apparatus and from tower to tower,rI haveprovided means a for subjecting material to the influence ofv aj currentor blast of air, preferably heated tea-predetermined degree bya furnace14.

The furnace is-* preferably located Tat one side of the apparatus, andheated alr 1s v forced by fans or blowers 13, located adjacent thefurna'ce, so that such air' may enter the towers; adjacent theirlowermost portion and pass inan upward directionand throught-hedownwardly traveling mass and thence escapethrough a line lfiopening ntothe atmosphere or leading into a room or chamber (not shown) that willoperate as a dust coll ectorl By'f thus subjecting the downwardlytraveling mass to the action of a" current of heated air, there is sucha, thorough intermingling of the air, with the material "that, in actualpractice, I have been i, able toreduce the natural moisture content] ofthe mass fromatproximately 14% to 8% ace the insoluble phos;

alllld less, an? to re l 1 p oric aci rom approximate y to with a.consequent reduction in the free phos In order thatthe phosphatie massmay: be subjected to the action of a drymg medlum ers 17 disposed in apipe 18Yleading from the blower 15. i

Adjacent the lower end of each tower is,

preferably and as shown, an inclined chute 19 adapted to direct theoving mass ,fof

material into the path of travel oian elevator or conveyor QOoperatingin a housin 21 and by which conveyor the mass israised' and. thendirected through a conduit or} channel 21 which) communicatesfwith the Ladjacent tower. j

Thus, it will be "seen 1 into the tower 8 and, therein 'treated in themanner described, iselevated .so thatit maybe introduced into the upperportion of the tower 8, wherein it is simllarly treated after which itis passed into the tower, 8",

wherein it' is t similarly treated. From tower 8 the mass is directed toan elevator or conveyor 22 which liftsltheymass so that it may beintroduced successively into towt an men, after being introduced throughthe hopper ers 8! and wherein it s S bj cted to" a the action ofany'upwardl ,travelingjcur rent of air of'relatively different temperahire from thatutilized in towersi8 and 8" and 8, and which airfispreferably un-.

heated or cold;, that is,of, a temperature that will arrest and preventfurther chemia cal action or reaction after the acid phos-f phate hasbeen ,cured and delivered. a a

After being discharged from thetower 8',

the mass is deliveredfto an elevator 23, by

which it I is carried f to a f suitable screening machine a (not shown)and then discharge from the apparatus. j

While" my adapted for the treatmentof phosphatic materials;nevertheless, it is tobe understood that the apparatus herein revealedmay be, utllized for the treatment. offany other a invention a I isparticularly propriate mass 'or materialyvhere it is e-f sired tosubjectthejsame toacentrifugin i action and also "to the actionofbodiesoair of relatively, diflerenttemperature.

By the apparatus herein disclosed, ,the

phosphatic mass may be handled eifectually through successive stages,beginning with an altitudinous. position and, while passing therefrom,be subjected to theaction of a countercurrent ofrair, heated orunheated,

asrequired. j e

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for treating phosphates. and the like, comprisingi a tower,including a casing, .a seriesof co'n'e shaped mass-directmg members in saced relation w thinthe casing a rotatab e su ort' for spreading membersmounted within the casing, a

recting a blast of heated air through the casing and against thematerials passing therethrough.

2. Apparatus for treating phosphates and I the like comprising a towerincluding a casing, a series of cone-shaped mass-directing members inspaced relation within the casing, a rotatable support for spreadingmembers mounted within the casing, a spreader member having a convexupper surface mounted on the support in proximity to certain of thecone-shaped massdirecting members, means for rotatlng the supportoperatively associated with certain of the members, regulable means fordirecting a blast of heated air through the casing and against thematerials passing therethrough, mechanism for feeding material to thetower including a hopper, and materialdisintegrating mechanismoperatively associated with the hopper.

3. Apparatus for treating phosphates and the like, comprising a towerincluding a casing, a series of cone-shaped mass-directing members inspaced relation within the easing a rotatable support for spreadingmembers mounted within the casing, a spreader member having a convexupper surface mounted on the support in proximity to certain of thecone-shaped mass-directing members, means for rotating the supportoperatively associated with certain of the members, regulable means fordirecting a blast of heated air through the casing and against thematerials passing therethrough, mechanism for feeding material to thetower including a hopper, material-disintegrating mechanism operativelymounted within the hopper, and means for directing the materials fromthe casing comprising a deflector member disposed in the path of travelof the materials and directing them through an opening provided in thecasing.

4:. Apparatus for treating phosphates and the like comprising a seriesof towers each including a casing, a series of cone-shapedmass-directing members disposed in spaced relation within each casing, arotatable support for spreading members mounted within each casing, aspreader member having a convex upper surface mounted on the support inproximity to certain of the coneshaped mass-directing members, means forrotating the support operatively associated with certain of themembers,and regulable means fordirecting a blast of heated air throughcertain of the casings and against the materials passing therethrough.

5. Apparatus. for treating phosphates and the like comprising a seriesof towers each including a casing, a series of cone-shapedmass-directing members disposed in spaced relation within each casing, arotatable support for spreading members mounted Within each casing, animperforate spreader member mounted on the support in proximity tocertain of the cone-sha ed mass-directing members, means for rotatingthe support operatively associated with certain of the members,regulable means for directing a blast of heated air through certain ofthe'casings and against the materials passing there- ,through, conveyingmechanism for carrying materials from one tower' to another comprisingahousing disposed in proximity to one of the towers and communicatingtherewith through an opening provided in the housing, a conveyordisposed inthe housing, and a chute associated with the housing fordirecting materials to the next tower of the series. v

6. Apparatus for treating phosphates and the like comprising a series oftowers each including a casing, a series of cone-shaped mass-directingmembers disposed in spaced' relation within each casing, a rotatablesupport for spreading members mounted withm each casing, a spreadermember mounted on the support in proximity to certain of the cone-shapedmass-directing members having a convex upper surface, means for rotatingthe support operatively associated with certain of the members,regulable means for directing a blast of heated air through certain ofthe casings and against the materials passing therethrough, conveyingmechanism for carrying materials from one tower to another comprising ahousing disposed in proximity to one of the towersand communicatingtherewith through an opening provided in the housing, a conveyor disosed in the housing, a chute associated wit the housing for directingmaterials to the next tower of the series, and mechanism for subjectingthe materials to a blast of cool air comprising a blower and a conduitassociated therewith and directing air to certain of the towers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

ELI H. ARMSTR NG.

